


THE RETURN OF HAN SOLO   CHAPTER  # 22   FINAL EPISODE

by StarWars1977



Category: STAR WARS FROM: The Force Awakens and Beyond
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-19
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2019-08-04 11:39:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16346015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWars1977/pseuds/StarWars1977
Summary: Han and Chewbacca have found the location of the Resistanceand Han and Leia reunite.





	THE RETURN OF HAN SOLO   CHAPTER  # 22   FINAL EPISODE

THE RETURN OF HAN SOLO CHAPT. #22 FINAL EPISODE

 

General Leia Organa sat in the warm sunshine at a makeshift desk nestled next to a soft leaved bush,  
seemingly oblivious to the bustling activity and noise around her. The hidden Rebel base was in full work mode.   
Bright sparks flew from welding as mechanics worked to repair and refurbish the ships, soldiers carried precious cargo to   
and from those same ships. The wounded were resting and being cared for in medical tents further away.

Leia heard a familiar sound and looked up, shading her eyes from the sun and scanning the clouds, saw the ship….  
the Falcon. ‘Rey’s returning.’ was her thought as she looked back at her paper work.

“General Organa.” 

“Yes?” Leia looked up to the soldier standing at attention.

“There’s a ship coming in.”

“I saw it.” She replied. “I’ll see the pilot when they land.”

“Yes.” The soldier left.

Leia continued her work and not much time had passed until a slight growl caught her attention.   
Turning her head toward the sound…. “Chewbacca!” She rose and rushed to greet the Wookiee,   
giving and receiving a welcoming hug. “You came with Rey.”

Chewbacca shook his head and replied. “No.”

“You came alone.” Leia stated.

“I brought someone with me.”

Leia nodded and movement from beside a distant, swirl-barked swindan tree caught her eye.   
She paled, catching her breath, she placed a hand to her heart and grabbed at the air for something to hold on to.

Chewbacca reached out to steady her.

She watched as Han walked slowly toward her…time drifted away…she didn’t see the grey hair, the creases of age on his face,   
the slower gait….in her mind’s eye she saw the brown haired, scruffy, cocky smiling pirate swaggering toward her.

“Hello, Leia.” Han said, stopping in front of her. Looking back at her, he didn’t see the streaks of gray in her hair,   
the dark circles of fatigue under her eyes or the fuller figure. In his mind’s eye he saw the spunky, bright eyed determined Rebel fighter.

“It can’t be…..” She struggled to speak. “You’re dead…I felt it….I knew when you died.”

“Did you know how?” Han asked seriously.

“I just knew you were gone.”

Han pulled the shirt from his pants.. unbuttoning halfway up, exposing the jagged, black scar  
on the middle of his body.

Leia gave an involuntary snear.. imagining the pain…she reached out and ran her fingers over the ugly mark  
…over the skin she used to caress so gently….now, mean and rough.

“In battle?”

Han lowered the shirt when she removed her hand.

“No….a darker power….the one that has a life hold on our son. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

“Ben did that?!” 

Han took Leia’s hand. “No…Kylo Ren.”

“You know that’s Ben!!!” Leia jerked her hand away.

“No, Leia…it’s not Ben.” Leia clasp her arms around herself and looked away.  
Turning back to face Han she asked. “How did you find us?”

“We went to Hoth…got one of the radar screens to work. Saw some of the planets  
displayed. Was checking them all out. This one was next.” Han explained.

Leia nodded to the scratches on his cheek. “He do that too?”

Han gave the crooked smile that had always melted Leia’s heart…..and still did.  
“Ran into an old friend.”

Leia gave a deep sigh. “Why are you here?”

Han looked around; Chewbacca had his back turned to them. The Corellian adjusted his  
blaster belt, shifted from one foot to the other and licked his lips. “For you.” He said honestly,   
the timbre of his voice steady, nearly a caress.

Leia became aware of several rebels advancing toward them, weapons at the ready. Their eyes on   
Han and the armed Wookiee. They didn’t know the dark clad man talking to their leader….so young they’d never heard of Han Solo.

“It’s alright.” She dismissed them. They hesitated, then slowly retreated.  
“What do you mean for me?”

Han took a deep breath and stepped closer to the woman who was his wife.  
“I’m tired of fighting, Leia.”

“Then you came to the wrong place, we are regrouping. We’ve recruited many new rebels.  
Other planets are joining with us.”

“I’m tired of that kind of fighting, but I’m also tired of the fighting between us.”

Leia gave a patronizing face and turned to leave. Han caught her arm. “I mean it, Leia.  
Can we go somewhere to talk further.”

She lowered her eyes, then nodded. She took his hand and together they walked up a slight hill…  
settling themselves under the shade of a flowering westra tree, it’s fronds hiding them from the curious,   
watchful eyes below. Han helped Leia sit, then held on to the ground as he joined her, placing his legs awkwardly. .   
“Not as easy as it was when we were younger.” He quipped.

That elicited a smile from Leia. She remained quiet, enjoying the fragrant breeze that was   
wafting past them, relaxing despite herself.

Han watched the activity below…the welding, the supplying….soldiers..

“You said you were regrouping. Don’t you get tired of all this? Of moving from place to place, of losing ships  
and soldiers…to try so hard only to have to one victory replaced by a stronger offence.”

Leia looked down, her finger circling a soft blade of grass.

“That is what a fight against tyranny is all about.”

“But you’ve been fighting the same battle for forty years…..Forty years, Leia.”

“It’s not been war all the time….I had other duties…we had a life..together…had a son.” She looked him in the eye.

“Had….we don’t have that any more.” Han said softly. “But we could again.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The New Order weapon is destroyed. It will take time for Ren to establish his reign of terror, to be accepted  
as the new leader. There’s not a threat just now.”

“We can’t let down our defenses.” Leia argue back.

“What defenses? A few ships…most of the leaders are gone.. you can’t carry this all by yourself.”

“Are you saying you want to join us again?” Leia looked hopeful.

“No. I want you to join me.”

“I’ll not run around the galaxies…participating in questionable activities.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“It’s time to let the next generation take over. Rey…Finn…the others. They’re eager, have the energy.  
We did more to secure freedom and defeat Vader than those before us. And those after us will take it  
further…maybe establish peace…permanently.”

Leia seriously pondered what Han was saying, then… “I have to admit it is becoming more difficult for me.”

“You can continue to carry out your diplomatic and royal duties..you know the history of the Resistance and you   
will be relied on for strategy, plans and guidance if needed.” Han assured her.

“But just not in the midst of the operation.”

“Don’t you think you’ve earned that right?”

“I won’t ask them to do anything I won’t.”

“And you haven’t. Remember our early years together…how nice it was…”

“I remember all the fighting between us.” 

“That was passion, Leia…remember each time afterwards” Han raised an eyebrow.

She giggled, feeling like a girl again.

“And later, when Ben was born.”

“I remember how crazy you acted.” 

Han lowered his head….”That was pride.”

Silence grew between them..the breeze ruffling Han’s hair. Leia looked for long moments  
into her husband’s eyes. He reached up and plucked a frond flower from the branch above them and placed it behind Leia’s ear.   
“Remember when I put flowers in your hair before?”

“Yes.” Tender feelings, long buried, were budding and growing in Leia’s heart; tears threatened  
to moisten her eyes.

“That place where we had our get away when Ben was young.”*

“It would be a good place to spend the rest of our years.” 

Leia looked up into the sky. “You can be very persuasive.”

“You’d just be a communication away….Who knows….us being together again, we might be able to reach Ben.   
There’s always hope. Even for us. How about it?” Han urged as he scooted back to lean against the tree trunk.   
He reached out and drew Leia closer….closer….

Their kiss was gentle, reuniting, comforting….convincing. “I love you Leia.” Han whispered when they drew apart.   
“We‘ve been given another chance.”

Leia looked into Han’s eyes. “I never stopped loving you.” She admitted as she nestled back into Han’s arms.

They were quiet for a while, they were as much a part of each other as the stars were apart of the heavens.

“Poe Dameron reminds me a lot of you.” Leia broke the silence.

“Poe?”

“He’s one of the pilots…would make a great leader.”

“So, you’ll go back with me?”

“As long as you understand I’ll always be a part of this, as long as I can, until the threat is completely gone.”

Han shook his head. “I’ll be a part of it too.”

Leia snuggled deeper into Han‘s embrace. “What shall we call that place….Han’s Hideout…”*

Her husband smiled. “I remember calling it Leia’s Lovenest.”* 

Han took a deep breath, feeling more content than he had in years. Squeezing Leia’s shoulders closer, He said.

“Why don’t we just call it home.”

 

THE END….OR IS THIS A NEW BEGINNING? 

Would appreciate knowing if there would be interest in reading further  
stories about Han and Leia’s later life.

*referenced in my story published here GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY


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